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Application Process

Speech Pathology Graduate Program

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The application process for the Tennessee State University (TSU)  MS program must be completed through the Communication Sciences and Disorders Centralized Application Service (CSDCAS). Our application portal opens every year on July 15.  

• CSDCAS applications for the Traditional Program are due on  February 1  of each year.
  Applicants for the Traditional Program will receive notification of their acceptance status in March.
  
  
• CSDCAS applications for the Distance Education Program are due on  June 1 of each EVEN year (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032, etc.).
  Applicants for the DE Program will receive notification of their acceptance status in July.
  
  

NOTE! Applicants who have not obtained at least 15 hours in Speech-Language Pathology by the application deadline should not apply through CSDCAS. Instead, these applicants can  apply to TSU as a Non-Degree Seeking student  in order to take our prerequisite courses. 

Application Instructions

Necessary Items in Application Process

• An official Bachelor's degree  transcript  and transcripts from EVERY accredited US college and/or university attended.
  
  
•  A minimum of three letters of recommendation.
  • It is strongly recommended that letters of recommendation be from college-level instructors who have taught you in an academic or clinical class.
  • It is required that letters of recommendation be submitted via CSDCAS.
  • Please note that CSDCAS will ONLY accept electronic letters of recommendation.
  • University and work-related letters must be submitted on letterhead.
    
    
• A personal essay on your intent and interest in Speech/Language Pathology
  
  
• An application fee to CSDCAS --  Fee Payment Details

Recommended Items for Application

• • Resume
  • Evidence of 25 Observation hours are recommended but not required. 
  • Standardized test scores are recommended but NOT required:
    • GRE:  send an official GRE Score submitted to CSDCAS.  (Designated Institutional Code: 4126). Request that your OFFICIAL scores are sent to CSDCAS prior to the deadline so that your application can be verified in a timely manner.

Application Support/Help

International Applicants

Applicants with international undergraduate degrees should review the information outlined on the Tennessee State University website and consult the appropriate sections of the  Graduate Catalog .

In addition to the required documents for the degree program, international students must submit:

Official transcripts and authorized school records with a course-by-course listing of courses and grades received; such transcripts must have been evaluated by a foreign educational credential agency, at the student’s expense.  

Recommended agencies:
- World Education Services: www.wes.org - Global Services Associates, Inc.: www.globaleval.org - Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.:  www.ece.org A complete listing of acceptable agencies can be found on the NACES Website

• Applicable test scores, such as GMAT, GRE, FE, MAT, etc. (Please check the test requirements for the specific program. Some programs may or may not require test scores.)
• Certificates of proficiency in English or a minimum score of:  TOEFL Scores:  525 (Paper Test);  71 Internet-Based Test OR  IELTS Score:  6.0ORSuccessful completion of  TSU Intensive English Center (IEC) Level 8 .OR Evidence of English language proficiency (transcripts, certificates, etc.)  from an accredited U.S. institution  equivalent to required IELTS or TOEFL scores. Submitted documentation will be reviewed and evaluated by TSU’s Intensive English Center.OR ELS Level 112  Certificate Completion  OR Students who have completed their undergraduate degree or a minimum of 9 credit hours of graduate courses with a minimum 3.0 GPA at a college or university within the U.S. may submit an official transcript to demonstrate English proficiency.
• Copy of current,  valid passport
• Certificate of Finance 

International students must provide documentation of financial resources that are sufficient to pay for one academic year of educational and living expenses including health insurance. Please contact the Office of International Affairs at OIA@tnstate.edu for the exact amount required as it is dependent on current tuition and fees that are subject to change annually.  Any financial statement that is not in the student’s name must include an Affidavit of Support.  

-   Affidavit of Support

-   SEVIS Status Verification Form-7-15-2021

• Certificate of Immunization verifying:- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) - 2 doses- Varicella/Chicken Pox - 2 doses

All international students applying for admission who have a student visa shall submit a certificate from a licensed physician or the qualified medical authority verifying freedom from tuberculosis within thirty (30) days from the first day of classes. Failure to submit such certificate shall result in denial of further enrollment or admission. In the event that the student either has tuberculosis or has potential tuberculosis requiring medical treatment, continued enrollment will be contingent upon the determination by a licensed physician that further enrollment does not present a risk to others and upon the student’s compliance with any prescribed medical treatment program.

After admission, copies of Visa, I-94, or Alien Registration card must be submitted to Mark Gunter, Director of International and Multicultural Affairs, before students may enroll

International students transferring from another school must complete and submit an International Student Transfer Form to their current school's international advisor before their I-20 record can be transferred

Instructions for the application submission process are also provided on the CSDCAS website. For additional information about the CSDCAS process, please visit the  CSDCAS Help Center or visit CSDCAS Application Help.

Admission Status

(THIS SECTION ONLY APPLIES TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ADMITTED)

Applicants who are offered admission to the MS program will be granted either an “Unconditional” or a “Conditional” status.

Submitting an application with the “Unconditional” criteria being met does not automatically grant you admission into the university. Being granted an “Unconditional” status means that you met the following criteria:

• You were admitted to the MS program at TSU after achieving a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.5 in a Bachelor’s program.
• You were admitted to the MS program at TSU after achieving a minimum GRE-Verbal score of 146 and a GRE-Quantitative score of 140 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or a scaled score of 380 on the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

If you are admitted with a “Conditional” status, this means that although you have been offered admission, you did not meet one or both of the above “Unconditional” criteria. Students who are admitted with a “Conditional” status must maintain a 3.0 GPA for the first 9 consecutive semester hours of graduate coursework to retain their position in the MS program in Speech and Hearing Science.

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